A traditional subscriber data network is configured in a tree topology, with the network rooted at a root node (e.g., at an optical line terminator) and branching out to cable media converters (CMCs), and ultimately to gateways (GWs) that serve leaf devices such as set-top boxes (STBs) and other operably connected computing devices (e.g., personal computers and mobile devices). Because such networks are optimized for multicast-based services, certain challenges are present when providing unicast-based services such as adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming from an adaptive bit rate (ABR) server at the root node. For example, bandwidth requirements at the root node exponentially increase with each additional branch in the network. Consequently, as the number of branches and users is scaled, the amount of bandwidth required for providing services to those users exponentially increases along the branches leading towards the root node.